Threshing-machine.



A. C. SANFORD.

THRESHING MACHINE.

APPLicAnon mw Nov.13. Isls.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

1..... u 1 x u J n w u n i M able rubbin UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ALFRED C. SANFORD, 0F GRANGEVILLE, IDAHO.

THnEsHING-MACHINE.

Application filed November 13, 1915.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Amann) (l. SANronu, a citizen of the United States,residing at Grangeville, in the county of' Idaho and State of Idaho,have iurented certain new and useful Improvements in'lhreshing-lllachinos, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in threshing machines for hullingthe berries: of various kinds of plants.

The principal object of the invention i s to provide an Improved methodand mecha nism whereby a differential or variable attritive action willbe applied to material acted upon to hull the berries and discharge thesame absolutely clean and clear for filial separation from the chaff.4

More particularly speaking, my invention involves an improved means forgradually advancing the material while the latter' is being subjected toa differential or variable attritire action so as to clear the way for aconstant feed of material to the machine by reason of the constantdischarge therefrom.

In the most specific form of my invention, I employ endless frictionbelts which are supported by rollers in such a manner as to dispose lapsof ad'acent belts in abutting relation and in su cient frictionalengagement with each other to relatively tightly compress the heads ofthe stocks when the latter are advanced between the belts. In order toobtain the threshing or separating action, advance one belt at a reaterSpee than th" tether and I thereby o tain a vari action which serves tohull the berries wit out in any way injuring the latter.

My improved method and mechanism will `be more fully described inconnection with the accom anying drawing and will be more particular ypointed out m and by the appended claims.

In the drawing Fi re 1 is a longitudinal vertical seetiona View on line1-1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation.

Fi 3 is a plan view. Lilgre characters of reference designate similarparts throughout the different figures of t iedrawing.

In the particular form shown, my imroved threshing machine is made up ola rame comprising sides 1 and 2, a bottom Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917. serial No. 61,236 i 8 and an end l.` In thesides 1 and 2, near the intake or ingress end 5, l journal upper andlower bight rollers (3 and 7. Said rollers are shown as being mounted,upon spindles 8 and l) which are journaled in the sides l and 2 in sucha manner as to rotate 'about fixed axes. At the egress end l0, of theniachine, I provide bight rollers 11 and 12 which are mounted upon sindles 13 and 14, the latter being controlled y tension means, whichwill be resently described.

About the bight rollers I train belts, preferably of some forni offabric such as canvas. al1-upper bolt being designated as a whole at 15and a lower belt being designated as a whole at 1G. At the ingress end5," it will be seen that the bight rollers 6 und 7 are in staggeredrelation, or are of-set sullciently to cause the bight roller 7 toprotrude in subjacent relation with respectto tbe bightroller G therebyproviding a convenient intake, as indicated by the arrow. l`urther1nore, bight roller 1l overhangs bight roller 12 so as to effecta downward discharge of the material, as indicated b the arrow and theegress end 10. Now 1t will be seen that the adjacent laps 17 and 18, ofthe belts 15 and 1G, are held by the rollers in ul'iutting relation andit will also be noted that the peculiar disposition of the bight rollersis such that their adjacent peripheries are off-sel. or staggered so asto 1mpart to the abutting laps 17 and 18, a solliewhat sinuous contourduring their active travel. During the inactive travel of the belts,considering the upper and lower laps 19 and 20, the belts travel instrai ht lines. Now in order to further enhance rietional engagement ofabutting laps 17 and 18, I preferably provide idler rollers, which arealso desi rably tension rollers, the idle rollers bei-ng disposedbetween the bight rollers and being indicated at 21 and 22. Said Vidlerollers are mounted upon spindles 23 and 24 and the latter are journaledin bearings 25 and 26. Said bearings 25 and 2G are mounted in slots inthe sides 1 and 2 and are acted upon by springs 27 and 28, which areinterposed between said bearings and suitable abutments 29 and 30.

Now it will be seen that the idle and tension rollers 21 and 22 are in4such staggered relation with respect `to the bight rollers, that tl. -ydeflect the abutting laps of belts so as to cause said laps to take asinuous course throughout their travel between said rollers.v

The improved tension means herein shown, comprises journal rods 31 and32, two for each of the spindles 13 and 14, and each journal rod isprovidedwith a boxing formed on its end, as indicated at 33 and 34, inwhich the ends of the spindles 13 and 14 are joue naled. Said tensionrods 31 and 32 extend through the end 4, of the machine, and arethreaded to receive winged nuts 35 and 36 which may be tightened againstthe end 4, of the machine to longitudinally displace bight rollers 11and 12 with respect to bight rollers 6 and 7.

Now it will be seen that the discharge end bight rollers 11 and 12 arenot journaled to rotate about lixed axs and that they are capablo ofyielding movement away from each other, in case of any clicking ormassing ot' the material interposed between the adjacent laps 17 and 18.

It will be seen that I h'ave provided tension means acting in thedirection of the length of the machine, in the forms of the rods 31 and32, and also tension means acting transversely of the machine. in theform of s ring actuated rollers 21 and 22.

Mldans is provided for actuating the belt members differentially so asto obtain a high degree of attritive action on the interposed material,and preferably, and at the same time, progressively advance the materialfrom the ingress toward the egress end. In the particular form shown, Idrive one of said belts at a higher speed than the other and asillustrated I provide spindle S) with a relatively large gear 3T whichmeshes with a relatively small pinion 38 on spindle 8. .I pulley 39,actuated by belt 40, serves to drive the belts. The unequal speeds ordifferential speeds at which thv belts are driven, serves to rub theheads, rictionally, as rubbing action might be applied between the twohands, in such a manner as to most efficiently hull the berries.

When I employ fabric belts, such as canvas, I may enhance this rubbingor lattritive action by forming ridges on the faces of the belts. In theform shown, I have provided the upper belt with longitudinally disposedridges which may he forn'ied in any desired manner, said ridges beingindicated at 41. 0n the lower belt I provide transversely disposedridges 42.

In the present construction, the drive im parted to the belts will beapplied to the inactive laps 19 and 20 and reliance is placed upon the'tension means, especially the rollers 21 and 22, to keep the abuttinglaps in proper tension and frictional engagement with each other.However, it will be seen, lbat it' the machine were turned npslde down,and the drive were imparted so as to apply leusion to the abutting laps17 and 18, the

lnecessity for tensioning the rollers 21 and 22 might be avoided.

It is believed that the device of m inven tion will be fully understoodfrom t e forel` their abutting areas with each other to thresh theinterposed materials, and means for operating said belts to impartrelatively dili'erent surface speeds to said adjacent laps, whereby theinterposed material will v be subjected to sustained attritive actionthroughout its passage between said adjacent laps, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a threshing machine, endless threshing belts, belt rollers holdingadjacent laps ot' said belts in pressure engagement against each otherthroughout their abutting areas, and means for operating said belts atdifferent speeds to hull the berries by attrition and gradually advancethe material from the point at which it was received between said lapsto a point of discharge, substantially as described.

Il. In a threshing machine, endless threshing belts, bight rollerssupporting said belts with lapsof the latter in abutting relation to4receive the stalks therebetween, idler rollers engaging said abuttinglaps to cause the latter to assume a sinuous course during their traveland throughouttheir abutting areas, and means for driving one of saidbeltsA at a greater speed than the other, sub stanlially as described.

4. ln a threshing machine, endless threshing belts, upper bight rollersfor one belt,4

tritively hull the berriesysubstantially as described.

5. In a threshing machine, endless belts,`

rollers for supporting said belts withadjacent laps in abuttingrelation, one of said belts having longitudinally disposed attritiveridges and the other of said belts having transversely disposedattritiveridges, and means for driving sail belts at unequal the berries byattrition,

speeds, substantially as speeds to hull the berries by attrition,substantially as described.

6. In a threshing machine, endless exible threshing belts of homogeneousmaterial, rollers for supporting said belts with adjacent laps inabutting relation, said belts havin attritive ridges and the remainderof said belts being continuously smooth, and means for driving saidbelts at unequal described.

7 In a threshing machine, endless threshin belts, bight rollers be tswith adjacent laps thereof in abutting relation to receive the stalkstherebetween, and belt tensioning idler rollers en aging the butts ofthe abutting laps to ho d the same in pressure engagement, and means fordriving said belts at unequal speeds to hull substantially as deof theirlength in opposition to mentioned means to urge said members intosustained engagement with each other throughout their coacting areas,and mechanism imparting differential motion to said members,substantially as described.

1l. 1in a threshing machine, coasting elongated {ieXible threshingmembers for threshing action on the material therebetween, meansapplying endwise tension to said members, means acting on said memberstransversely of their length in opposition to said first mentioned meansto urge said members into sustained engagement with each otherthroughout their coacting areas and causing said members to take asinuous form and mechanism` imparting differential motion to saidmembers, substantially as described.

scribed. 1Q. 1n a threshing machine, eoacting 8. The herein describedmethod of threshelongated iexible threshing members for ing grain, whichconsists, in progressively threshing action on material therebetween,advancing the stalks and heads, and in apmeans urging said members intocontinuous plying sustained friction continuously thereand sustainedengagemeent from end to end and between their ends abutting members totake a sinuous form means applying tension endwise of sai members andcoacting with said first named means to maintain sustained frictionalengagement between said members throughout their length, and mechanismimparting differential motion tially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALFRED C. SANFORD.

to during such advancing movement to hull the berries, substantially `asdescribed.

9. In a threshing machine, endless threshing belts, bight rollerssupporting said belts with adjacent laps in abutting relation, devicesengaging said abutting laps to hold the same in continuous pressureengagement with respect to each other, and means for driving said beltsat different speeds to attritively hull the berries, substantially asdescribed.

10. In a threshing' machine, coacting elongated flexible threshingmembers for threshing action on material therebetween, means applyingendwise tension to said members, means acting on said memberstransversely and causing said Witnesses z O. V. MANInNG, E. BnoYLns.

to said members, substan-

